Ohio State track and field hosts the Buckeye Classic at French Field House.
Photos by Jeff Mills

Brian Brillon is in his seventh season as a volunteer assistant with the Ohio State track and field program. He works with the Buckeye horizontal jumpers.

Brillon is noted for his work with former Buckeyes Michael Hartfield, Korbin Smith and Steve MacDonald. Under Brillon's direction, Hartfield became the school-record holder in the long jump, surpassing a 77-year-old record held by American legend Jesse Owens. He finished his career a four-time NCAA All-American in the long jump, a five-time Big Ten champion in the long jump and triple jump, a two-time Big Ten field athlete of the championships and the 2011 Big Ten and USTFCCCA Great Lakes Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year. Smith was the 2011 Big Ten indoor runner-up in the long jump and an NCAA-championships qualifier, while MacDonald was an outdoor Big Ten runner-up in the same event and a regional qualifier.

Brillon has tutored long jumper Zack Bazile over the past two years. In 2015, Bazile won the Big Ten indoor title in the long jump along with Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors. Bazile would go on to earn Honorable Mention All-America honors in the event during the outdoor season while also collecting a bronze medal at the Big Ten outdoor meet. In 2016, Bazile earned his first-career All-America honor in the outdoor long jump with a bound of 7.58m (25-10.5).

Brillon began his coaching career at Worthington Christian High School in Worthington, Ohio, where he spent six seasons. He coached four individual long jumpers to six district championships, one regional championship, and one state title. He spent the next six seasons at Otterbein College, where his athletes broke school records in the women's long jump, triple jump, and 55-meter dash. In addition, two individuals claimed OAC championships in the long jump and triple jump and qualified for the NCAA Division III championships.

Brillon earned a bachelor's degree in athletic training from Otterbein College in 1999 and was a four-year letterman on the track and field team. He then earned degrees in sports and fitness management and massage therapy. A licensed and practicing massage therapist, Brillon is Level II coaching certified through USATF in jumps, relays, sprints and hurdles, and a certified strength and conditioning specialist through NSCA. He is a past invitee to the Emerging Elite Coaches Camp at the Olympic Training Center.